Escape from Slave Castle
Five space pilots recount their capture from Earth and escape from the slave prison of the Galra Empire. :Japanese title: Plot Summary Prologue (The Legend of Golion) Voiceover narration recites the legend of Golion over a battle sequence versus unidentified monsters. This is a story handed down throughout the universe of a legendary robot. It isn't clear who built the giant robot of legend. Due to its having the heads of five space lions at some point it was named the King of Beasts, Golion. No enemy could stand before Golion in battle. Finally, it recklessly challenged the Goddess of the Universe to battle. Golion strikes at a goddess surrounded in light, who responds: Golion. Why can you not control your own power? Why do you not try to use that power for peace in the universe? Golion. Know that those who overestimate their own power shall be undone by it! Golion suddenly separates into five lions which are hurtled through the cosmos. Several thousand years have since passed. The Story Begins On the interior of a slave ship headed back to the Galra Empire, Sadak commands his guards to whip and punish slaves. Voiceover narration explains that the Great Dark Nebula has been conquered by the Galra Empire. In the throne room of a sinister castle, Emperor Daibazaal is bored, his conquest nearly complete. A hooded figure nearby informs him that incoming slaves will provide amusement. The slave ship lands at the slave ship port facility, which will turn the slaves over to imprisonment in Slave Castle. In a cell in slave castle, our heroes sit bored, lamenting the new slave ship's arrival. In the slave port facility, Sadak orders the "lively slaves" be taken to the arena; the weak and sick are to be butchered as feed for the Deathblack Beastmen. To punctuate his order, he hurls his sword into the torso of one of the injured slaves. Emperor Daibazaal is pleased, and orders an arena fight immediately. In a massive arena filled with well-dressed Galran spectators, nearly 20 slaves emerge armed with swords. The crowd cheers as a single Beastman tears them apart. Voiceover narration explains that slaves who survive are imprisoned in Slave Castle, to be soon turned into Deathblack Beastmen themselves. Back in their cell, the Earth-born space pilots are furious at the combat that they hear from outside. They discuss their previous turn in the arena, lamenting their wounds, and curse the circumstances that brought them here, seguing into... Flashback: Earth, 1999 Voiceover narration recites the recent history of Earth: On Earth, the forces of the East and West finally caused World War III, and the nuclear missiles of both sides rained fire. Missiles launch, leading to a montage of explosions, incinerated people, and cities in rubble. A ship enters Earth orbit. At that time, the five of them were on their way back to Earth from a space voyage. A Galra slave ship scavenging in the wreckage spots their ship, drawing it in with its tractor beam. The explorers are captured. Escape! Back to the present, where the team sits imprisoned: Shorty leaps to the high window, raging at an alien vulture. Looking downward, he spots Deathblack Beastmen feeding on the meat of slaves. The sight inspires the team to escape. Kogane notes that the security around the slave ship hangar is weak, and proposes they attempt to steal a ship. With Shirogane on lookout for the guards, Suzuishi leaps to the window with a rope made of rags. Seidou climbs the rope and bends the bars on the window wide, and the remainder of the team climbs up and out the window, where they find themselves on a very high ledge, too high for the rope to reach bottom. Kogane suggests they use the large-sized alien vultures "as hang gliders" to descend. As a vulture swoops down, Kogane jumps and grabs its legs. The rest of the team follows suit, and the descent of the vultures lands them in a field of bones. The team surmises that these are the remains of ill-fated slaves, Kogane and Seidou say a short prayer before proceeding with their escape. The team heads for the slave ship hangar, sneaking in via a utility tunnel. While they walk the corridors, an alarm sounds, and security doors start to close. The team narrowly makes it through a closing door into a room where they must immediately dodge a deluge of thrown swords. A melee ensues; the team defeats a squad of Galra soldiers, but more are coming. The team runs into a slave ship and takes flight. Back in the royal throne room, Sadak notifies Emperor Daibazaal of the escape. Daibazaal replies that they must be recaptured, and tortured as an example to other slaves. Sadak launches his ship. A firefight erupts in space between the commandeered slave ship and Sadak's assault vessel. The team returns fire, but the ship is badly outgunned and takes heavy damage. The damaged slave ship falls toward Altea, a planet previously ruined by Daibazaal. Kogane reports that the controls are no longer working, but the ship falls somewhat safely, and appears (though it is unclear if the team can perceive it) to be guided down by a magic light emanating from a lion statue located in front of a mysterious castle. On their descent, the team can vaguely see the castle and two human figures inside. To be continued... Featured Characters The Space Pilots * Kogane Akira * Shirogane Takashi * Kurogane Isamu * Seidou Tsuyoshi * Suzuishi Hiroshi Galra Empire * Sadak * Daibazaal * Honerva * Jaga Mysterious People on Altea * Princess Fala * Raible Quotes "Not too shabby, Shorty." Shirogane is impressed by Suzuishi's vertical "They say nobody's ever escaped from Slave Castle." "That's what makes it interesting." Suzuishi sets Kurogane straight "We'll jump up to those vultures and use them like hang gliders." Kogane's plan is foolproof Notes * Even though Princess Fala has barely appeared in this episode, the end credits show her in her uniform atop the Blue Lion. So, uh, spoiler alert. * The following characters were introduced in this episode, but their names were not revealed to viewers: Sadak, Honerva, Jaga, Princess Fala, and Raible. * In a flashback scene, the ruined Eiffel Tower is visible. Category:Beast King Golion episodes